Illuminated sign



Dec. 2 v

9 1925 N. N. CHERRY ILLUMI NATED S IGN Filed Nov. I:119g 1924 MMM@ my,

Patented Der. 29, i925.

MORE/IAN N. CHERRY. SPRNGFIELD, OHIO.

ILLUMINATED SIGN.

Application led November 19, 1924. Serial No. 750,838.

.To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that hlosrrax N. Cirami, a citizen of the inited States.residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of liio, hasinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Illuminated Signs, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This i" "e relates to signs generally, and particular. .y to illuminatedsi of that character *wherein a lamp boi: is employed. lt is one obj'ectof my invention to provide an illun'iinated sign of a cl aracter whereinthe light shows through the perforations of a sign panel, theperforations being of such nature andso arranged that there is anappearance of an increase of light as the ob server recedes from thesign and a diminuation as he approaches the sign.

Another object is the provision of a sign which is readable .in the daytime as well as by artificial illumination at night.

A still further object is to provide, in combination with a sign boxcasing having a perforated sign panel, through which the rays of lightfrom a lamp in the rear thereof pass, an auxiliary or additional signsupported outside the casing, but receiving its illumination directlyfrom the lamp Within the casing. A. still further object resides in thearrangement of a plurality of symmetrical series of perforations foreach letter, character or design for the purpose of increasing theamount of illumination.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novelfeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as willbe hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in thespecification and claims.

In the accompanying draWing,-

Figure l is a front elevation of the electric sign;

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the sign casing;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of a modified form ofperforated sign panel. Referring now more particularly to the drawing bynumerals of reference, 2 designates generally a rectangular, box-likemetallic structure, embodying side Walls 4, a base or bottom Wall 5, topWall 6, a removable rear wall 8 and panel 9.

lVhile, from a structural standpoint, the box may be formed in variousways, a preferred arrangement is shown in Fig. 2. in which the side,bottom and top Walls :3 and 6 are provided at their forward edges 50with flanges l0. ll and l2 respectively. over which are bent the edgesof the front panel 9 as shown at lll. The rea r, removable Wall 8 isprovided on its side edges with relient portions l5 serving as guidinggrooves 05 Which cooperate with lateral flanges 16 on the rear verticaledges of the side walls, While an upstanding` flange 19 on the rear edgeof the top Wall 6 cooperates with a rebent portion 2() on the top edgeof the said 70 rear Wall. By this construction, the rear Wall may beslid vertically into and out of position permitting access to theinterior of 'the box, which, it might be here stated is painted White orother light color Which 'u will deflect the maximum amount of light witha minimum of absorption. The front sign panel 9 is provided as shown 1nFig. l

with a series of perforations 21, arranged to represent any desired ocharacter, letter or numeral, here shown as forming the letter U of thealphabet, these perforations being preferably circular and arrangedclosely together so that When viewed from a distance the perforationswill tend to merge, and appear as a continuous line of light. Theoutline of the character, letter or :figure may be painted in suitableor contrasting colors as at 22, so that the sign may be read in the daytime when not illuminated from within.

For the purpose of illuminating the sign. I provide an electric lamp 24,supported by a bracket 25 mounted on the inner face of the front signpanel, and so arranged With respect to the character, that the mostevendistribution of light is obtained. The lamp base is shown at 26 and theconductors, led through an insulating bushing 2S in one side Wall,indicated at 29.

Where the sign is formed with large letters, or it is desired to givegreater illumination to smaller letters, the perforations are formed ina double row as shown at 30 in Fig 4, and in each case, Whether a singleor double row of perforations is employed, they are arranged centrallyof the painted outline with which they are symmetrical.

A further feature of my invention resides in the arrangement of anadditional sign panel 3l, provided on its lower edge with a channelportion 32, by which it is supported on an upwardly and forwardlyinclined metallic strip 3 3, soldered or otherwise secured across theupper face of the top wall 6, said top wall being provided further, withan elongated opening 34, parallel with, but slightly to the rear of thefront flanged edge of said top wall, the arrangement being such that thesign panel 31 receives rays from the lamp 2l. If desired, an additionalsign panel might be readily supported in the same manner and by a likearrangement from the lower wall 5.

From the foregoing description of the construction of my improveddevice, it will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive andVefficient means for Carrying out the objects of the invention, andwhile I have particularly vdescribed the elements best adapted toperform the functions set forth., it is obvious that various changes inform, proportion, and in the minor details of construction" may beresorted to, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of theprinciples of the inventionA Having described my invention, what l claimis An illuminated sign of the class described, comprising a rectangularboxlile casing having side, bottom and top panels provided at theirforward edges with flanges, over which are bent the edges of a frontpanel, said front panel having perforations arranged close to oneanother and formed to represent some letter of the alphabet, a rearremovable panel provided with top and side edges adapted to cooperateand serve as guides with the edges of the said side panels, a bracketmounted on the inner face of said front panel, a lamp mounted withinsaid f casing and supported on said bracket, an upwardly and forwardlyinclined sign panel supported upon said top panel in parallel relationwith the forward edge thereof, said top panel being further providedwith an NORMAN n. Gunnar.

